ORDER OF DISMISSAL
The present cause of action is brought under the Texas Wrongful Death Statute, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 4675. Plaintiff’s wife died on January 5, 1970, as a result of carbon monoxide inhalation while husband and wife were guests at a motel. Plaintiff alleges negligence on the part of defendant City of McLean in providing natural gas to the motel without insuring the presence of adequate ventilation to the premises. He alleges and pleads only for damages suffered by him because of the loss of his wife’s counsel and services and her future contributions toward his maintenance. He does not allege or ask for any damages to the decedent personally, such as her pain and suffering.
Plaintiff filed his cause of action on January 4, 1973, more than two years but less than three years after the cause of action accrued. It is well established and uncontroverted here that an action for wrongful death in Texas accrues at the time of death of the injured party. Slate v. City of Ft. Worth,
Defendant moves to dismiss on the ground that the action is barred by the. Texas two-year statute of limitations, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 5526 (7), which provides that
There shall be commenced and prosecuted within two years after the cause of action shall have accrued, and not afterward, . . . Action for injury done to the person of another where death ensued from such injury.
Plaintiff opposes the motion to dismiss upon three grounds: (1) that art. 5529, rather than art. 5526(7), applies; (2) that art. 5538 tolls the statute of limitations for one year (no administrator or executor having qualified), thus giving plaintiff three years in which to bring his action; and (3) that the holding of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Harrison v. Thompson,
*1111
The Court must reject all three of plaintiff’s contentions in opposition to the motion to dismiss. First of all, it has been clearly established heretofore that art. 5526(7) provides the period of limitations applicable to Texas wrongful death actions. Paris & G. N. Ry. Co. v. Robinson,
Second, art. 5538 does not toll the statute of limitations for one year. This article provides that
In case of the death of any person against whom or in whose favor there may be a cause of action, the law of limitation shall cease to run . until twelve months after such death, unless an administrator or executor shall have sooner qualified .
Art. 5538 therefore applies only to cases in which a cause of action exists against the decedent prior to his death. Plaintiff’s cause of action, if any, accrued at the moment of death and not before. Missouri-Kansas-Texas R. R. Co. v. Hamilton,
This Court is of the opinion that art. 5538 is inapplicable even to actions brought on behalf of a decedent’s estate for such items of damage as pain and suffering and funeral expenses, since art. 5526(7) appears to provide the period of limitations for all actions under the Wrongful Death Statute. But it is unnecessary to decide this question, since plaintiff is claiming damages in his own behalf and not on behalf of his wife’s estate.
Finally, the Court holds that no evidentiary hearing on the motion to dismiss is required by Harrison v. Thompson,
The Court accordingly holds that plaintiff’s action is barred by the applicable statute of limitations. Defendant’s motion to dismiss is granted.
Costs are taxed against plaintiff.
